While federal law largely shields lenders from environmental liabilities and cleanup costs on indebted properties, lender missteps and poor loan documentation can result in a loss of that protection and put lenders on the hook for environmental remediation.
Environmental hazards can also negatively impact a borrower's ability to repay the loan and decrease the collateral value, which is why it is essential to uncover the hazards before the closing of the loan and formulate a plan, whether a Phase I environmental site assessment or some lesser action.
A critical protection for the lender is an indemnification agreement with the borrower as part of the loan documentation. Other key loan agreement provisions include reps and warranties, covenants, notice provisions, and inspection rights. Another option for the lender is to require the borrower to obtain insurance, usually in a pollution policy.
Lender environmental due diligence at the time of a loan default or workout is also critical as environmental hazards must be considered when assessing the collateral value and a workout plan. Of course, if foreclosure appears imminent, the lender liability must be carefully evaluated as the lender prepares to take possession of the property.
Listen as our authoritative panel of experienced attorneys analyzes lender liability for environmental cleanup and remediation liabilities. The panel will discuss theories of liability and best practices for lenders to minimize direct liability and diminution of the collateral value. The panel will address risk mitigation in loan origination and during the life of the loan, including workouts and foreclosures.
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Lorman
Housing issues are one of the topics that concern a great number of people across the country, and one of most often talked about issues within state governments across the country. The Uniform Law Commission is an organization that provides states with non-partisan, well-drafted model legislation meant to bring clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law. URLTA focuses on the rights and duties of residential landlords and tenants. This material will discuss the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, the history of the Act, and recent changes to the Act, as well as cover what states have adopted the act.
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Investor Management Services, LLC
The US economy relies on a handful of major cities to drive new business and growth, while economically distressed communities continue to see declines in local businesses. Opportunity zones were developed to address some of these disparities and ultimately create a new asset class. But while opportunity zones have been a hot topic in the commercial real estate industry for the past couple years, there are still a lot of misconceptions about this initiative.
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Mollie Carmichael has the latest trends in new home marketing strategies to help you tell a compelling story that speaks to the needs and dreams of your home buyers. Watch the “Survive and Thrive: Sales and Digital Marketing Strategies” webinar replay below to learn more.
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